Moschino to Mark 40 Years, the New Labs Fellows, Jenni Kayne Doubles Up In the Hamptons
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MARKING 40: Moschino is planning a fashion show to be staged in Milan on Sept. 21 that will mark the brand’s 40th anniversary.
The event during Milan Fashion Week is conceived to pay tribute to “the remarkable achievements” of founder Franco Moschino “and his enduring legacy,” the company said.
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Stylists Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, Katie Grand, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson and Lucia Liu will spearhead this season’s collection, each creating 10 contemporary looks inspired by the works of the late designer.
Moschino has not yet announced a successor to the latest creative director, Jeremy Scott, who exited the brand in March after 10 years. Sources say Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of Moschino’s parent company Aeffe, is still interviewing candidates and that a successor has not been yet identified.
Scott succeeded longtime creative director Rossella Jardini, who carried forward Franco Moschino’s torch for two decades.
Franco Moschino began his career in 1971, designing for Gianni Versace for six years. He launched his own company, Moonshadow, in 1983, followed by Moschino Couture that same year. He was known for his quirky and tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, spoofing high fashion, but at the same time, his innovative designs were ground-breaking. He revamped the classic suit with imaginative details, such as bottle caps, embroidered price tags on little black dresses, or created skirts made entirely by men’s ties. “There is no creativity without chaos,” was one of his famous quotes. He died in 1994.
In 2022, Aeffe revenues amounted to 352 million euros, up 8.4 percent compared to 325 million euros in 2021. While the group does not break down sales by brand, sources say Moschino represents 70 percent of the total.
Aeffe has held the license for the production and distribution of the brand’s women’s and men’s collections since then.
Following the designer’s death, Aeffe acquired a 70 percent stake in the company, further developing the brand globally.
Aeffe took full control of Moschino in 2021, paying 66.6 million euros for the 30 percent stake in the brand it didn’t own. It also acquired the license to produce and distribute the Love Moschino collections of women’s apparel in-house for 3.6 million euros.
In 2021, Aeffe also took control of Moschino’s distribution in mainland China, signaling the increasing relevance of that market for the label. This involved around 20 stores, which has been operated for the previous 10 years by Scienward Fashion and Luxury (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. — LUISA ZARGANI
NEW FELLOWS: VFiles is continuing its Lab Fellows program with its second cohort.
The VFiles Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports creators from underrepresented communities, announced its 2023 Lab Fellows on Thursday. The group consists of fashion designer Elena Velez, American Ballet Theatre dancer Gabe Stone Shayer, spiritual empowerment expert Aliza Kelly, SkidRow Studios founders David Sabastian and Sara Haile and Grammy-nominated producer Tweek Tune.
Through the program, recipients will receive funding, mentorship and access to events and programming relevant to their markets and business goals.
On how she plans to use the VFiles Lab Fellow recognition to further her business, Velez stated: “My studio focuses on democratizing creative and entrepreneurial resources for makers outside of typically established creative capitals and provides a pipeline to the industry for small brands through sales opportunity and network access.”
Sabastian and Haile had a similar response to receiving the recognition, stating: “Our mantra is simple: we’re not here to produce just another song or T-shirt. Everything we create has to have an impact. We believe that together, we can create a world where no one is left behind.”
In addition to the cohort of Lab Fellows, VFiles is also launching its VFiles Lab Discovery Class this year, which includes a group of 12 artists chosen from the VFiles Lab application program. The artists will receive mentorship and educational resources.
The group includes director Kelly Butts-Spirito; artists Analise Azadian, Dustrial Dre, Sweetz, Myles and Brando; fashion designers Celine Kwan, Seokwoon Yoon, Ari Serrano, Leaf Xia, Israel Cobb-Mcintyre, Justin Joyner and Andrea Espinoza. — LAYLA ILCHI
DOUBLING UP: California-based lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne is opening its second store in the Hamptons on Saturday — this one at 2 Main Street in Southampton.
Kayne already has a store in neighboring Amagansett that opened in 2021. Both are permanent locations.
The new 1,800-square-foot space offers the full range of Jenni Kayne products including apparel, accessories, home and apothecary items.
Jenni Kayne joins other fashion stores in Southampton such as Ramy Brook, Alice + Olivia, Ralph Lauren, Club Monaco, Fivestory, LoveShackFancy, Tenet, Henry Lehr and J.McLaughlin.
The new Jenni Kayne store features a coastal-inspired palette of inspired neutrals that are synonymous with the brand’s aesthetic. Grounding earth tones and natural oak create the ambiance for the brand’s elevated, effortless collections.
“We are thrilled to continue growing our brick-and-mortar presence in the Hamptons,” said Julia Hunter, chief executive officer of Jenni Kayne. “With 10 stores on the East Coast, 21 nationwide and four to still open this year, this is just the beginning of Jenni Kayne’s worldwide retail expansion.”
New stores are slated for Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; Naples, Florida, and Philadelphia.
Jenni Kayne plans a series of events and pop-ups within the space this summer. A grand opening party is set for Saturday, where visitors can enjoy wine from Avaline while making custom floral bundles, and on Sunday, complimentary mini-facials will be given to visitors from noon to 3 p.m. featuring Jenni Kayne’s Oak Essentials skin care collection. Customers will receive full-size Nightly Retinol & Daily Vitamin C Serums from Oak Essentials with a minimum purchase of $395.
On July 8, a special pop-up with Brooklyn-based baker L’Appartement 4F will be in-store selling handcrafted small-batch French baked goods starting at 11 a.m. And from July 14 to 16, Hatch will pop up at the store, selling elevated maternity essentials.
Other events include a visit Aug. 12 by The Connectist Anita Hodosi, a psycho-spiritual coach, and on Aug. 23 to 25 will be a Callidae trunk show featuring a curated assortment of horseback riding apparel. — LISA LOCKWOOD
SANTIS TIMES THREE: New Balance is ready to take the wraps off the third season of its Made in USA collection designed by buzzy designer Teddy Santis.
In the spring of 2021, Santis, founder and creative director of New York-based Aimé Leon Dore, was named by the Boston-based sports brand as the creative director of its Made in USA brand, New Balance’s designation for product that has a domestic value of 70 percent or more.
The latest edition of the collection, a spring line, will be released in three drops beginning on June 16. The first will feature a limited-edition 990v6 quickstrike sneaker in a suede/mesh construction in shades of limestone and magenta. Shortly after, a 990v4 and a 998 pack will be offered in vibrant purple.
In addition to the shoes, the first release will include new colorways of the Made in USA sweatpants, hoodies, crew neck shirts and Ts, as well as mesh tank tops and nylon tracksuits.
The second release will offer 990v4, 990v6 and 996 sneakers in neutral tones and soft pastels, and the third will feature those same models in yellow white and green.
The suggested retail prices for the line will range from $65 to $210 for the apparel and $190 to $220 for the footwear. The collection will be sold on the New Balance e-commerce site and at select retailers globally.
The collaboration with Santis was a first for New Balance and is intended to elevate the Made in USA brand globally by tapping into Santis’ “influence” for its product design and marketing, the athletic brand said at the time of his appointment. It added that Santis “has firmly established himself as a leading figure in today’s contemporary fashion and lifestyle landscape,” and proven his ability to channel “the spirit and history of New York City into Aimé Leon Dore’s products, experiences and campaigns.”
Santis was born in Queens, New York, to parents who immigrated from Greece. He founded Aimé Leon Dore in New York in 2014 and has worked with New Balance in the past to reimagine a number of styles including the 550, the 1300, the 990, the 997 and the 827. — JEAN E. PALMIERI
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